Content Best Practices

Get the latest content news and updates related to branding, creation, curation and engagment written by our team of SEO experts who also curate and share relevant content strategies from other industry leading content marketing experts.

Where do you start in creating a brand? What's your purpose, your draw? Forbes says four vital parts of the foundation are establishing trust, developing empathy, gathering information on the prospect, and positioning the product being marketed as a solution. Remember, your business is solving a problem and you need to let potential customers or clients know that. Forbes says you should really focus on setting yourself apart. They said, "This perspective on strategy drives to the heart of the matter for marketers and brand managers. It captures the inescapable need for differentiation."

A Health Checkup For Brand Strategy

Detractors scoff at brand strategy as too slow, too restrictive, and inherently disconnected from the rough and tumble, real world, real time ways of today’s… Read More

It's not too early to start thinking about content marketing trends for 2019. Forbes has a list of trends to watch for in the new year. The first is that content marketing is taking over the marketing field. Instead of something to do in addition to traditional marketing, it's absolutely becoming the main focus. As more businesses begin to focus their efforts on content marketing, there will be a stronger need for a solid strategy to set your business apart. Forbes also said customer success will be incredibly important because, "Now, companies need customers to get maximum value from their purchases to encourage word-of-mouth marketing and develop stronger relationships."

5 Content Marketing Trends To Watch In 2019

And as content marketing continues to grow and our approaches to it become more mature, these five trends will shape the way companies (and their… Read More

Apple is getting involved with content creation! The Street reported, "Diversification is key, even at Apple Inc. While the company's ubiquitous iPhone is clearly its bread and butter, Apple has opportunities to bolster its bottom line through its services businesses, specifically content creation, according to an RBC Capital Markets research note on Monday, June 25." This just goes to show what an impact content has on business today! Plus, they just signed a deal with Oprah! It will be interesting to see how they leverage this and how it will impact the industry.

Apple's Next $10 Billion Frontier Is Content Creation

While the company's ubiquitous iPhone is clearly its bread and butter, Apple has opportunities to bolster its bottom line through its services businesses, specifically content… Read More

Anyone that has experienced this can attest to it - writer's block is the worst! Practical Ecommerce came up with a list of ways to combat writer's block for SEO. They said, "The first way to break writer's block is to consult the foundational tool for SEO: keyword research. Since search queries reflect information that people want to know and products they want to buy, it's a natural tool to consult when you're not sure what to write next." You can also do some Google searches and read other content to get inspired. If you are still stuck, click the link for more ideas!

9 Ways to Break Your SEO Writer’s Block

You have a topic to write about and a blank page. You also have writer's block, that dreaded mental paralysis that accompanies a clean sheet… Read More

Edgy Labs created a list of ten metrics to know when analyzing content marketing. They said, "One of the most significant content marketing metrics that you should consider if you want to keep track of your efforts is demographics. Keep in mind that knowing who your target audience is is a crucial part of your marketing strategy." Other important metrics included bounce rate, unique visitors, and page views per visitor. Social metrics are also important in content marketing. Finally, look at leads generated because that is the end goal of marketing through content creation.

10 Content Marketing Metrics Every Marketer Should Measure

Content marketing metrics play an essential role in the success of a marketing campaign and in driving traffic to a website. But, what are these… Read More

There are many reasons why content marketing is a great choice for marketing your business. Your marketing budget is a big reason! Entrepreneur said, "Content marketing costs 62% less than outbound marketing, but generates 3x the leads." That statistic speaks for itself. Also, adding a blog to your website results in 434% more search engine-indexed pages. Conversion rates are higher, your brand authority grows, and this strategy is overall more efficient than most others. What are you waiting for? "Your customers will start treating your brand more like a trusted friend than an unavoidable annoyance, and have greater confidence in your offering and expertise."

How Content Marketing Can Help Your Company Do More For Less

If you still think content is more of a supporting act than the star of the show, think again. True, companies have been producing content… Read More

When writing for SEO, always focus on the customer first. A paragraph full of keywords may seem great for optimization, but if it doesn't make sense or it isn't engaging it won't be read. Forbes reported, "Know your audience. It's not enough to create compelling copy - you must strive to create compelling copy that your readers value." Create interesting, eye catching headlines and always, always proofread! Remember, you can always go back and adjust things for optimization purposes. Focus first on the quality and the value of the content.

6 Ways Writers Can Master SEO Best Practices In 2018

Yes, it's a significant responsibility, particularly in our globally connected world where the search engine algorithms are constantly changing. However, going into the process armed… Read More

Branding your business might sound intimidating and confusing, but it can be fun! It's also very important. Forbes reported, "With 81% of shoppers conducting online research before making a big purchase, the image your brand projects can make all the difference between getting their business or losing them to a competitor." Think hard about the basis of your brand - what problem do you solve and what are your values? Who is the customer you are trying to reach? Tell a story with your website and your content that customers can relate to.

Best Ways To Improve Your SEO And Why You Need To Do It

In today's hyperconnected world and highly competitive business environment, it's crucial for a business to be able to reach its target audience online with its… Read More

Forbes reported a powerful statistic about search engine optimization and why it is so vital. They said, "With the front page of Google receiving 95% of all web traffic, while other pages receive 5% or even less, you really need your organization to rank as high as possible." You can improve your strategy with diverse content, content that promotes your authority, and consistency. SEO/content creation software like ours can help tremendously with these goals. Long-form content is great for rankings and long tail keywords really make a difference. Finally, make sure your content is easy to read, not technical and complicated.

This article has some great information about organizing your website and being very intentional with your content. Is has examples of structure and site organization. They said, "Too many people fall into the trap of churning out blog content for the sake of it, without much thought and research, or without delivering on that research once it's been done." That's where search engine optimization comes in. Once the content has been written and is posting, it isn't done working for you! It can be refined and adjusted until it is reaching the right audience.

How to Explode Traffic with the Right Content

But if you do promotion right and have a relatively established website, there are a few things you can do with your content that can… Read More

Gary Vaynerchuk has a message - stay optimistic! The CEO of VaynerMedia thinks the internet represents opportunity and growth. On his blog he said, "When you're addicted to optimism, kindness, and positivity, your POV changes. When you choose empathy, gratitude, and perspective, nothing can stop you. It's 100% the way to win." This is not only a great strategy for your personal life, but could be applied to the online "voice" for your business as well! Keep it positive and focus on promoting what you do best.

CHEERING FOR OPTIMISM AND THE INTERNET

Listen, If there is anything I could wish on you, more than my work ethic, or my energy, or my charisma, it would be the… Read More

What is your goal for your business? Where do you want to go? HRD said, "According to the Smart Insights Managing Digital Marketing Report in 2017, 49 percent of businesses are doing digital marketing but without a solid strategy in place, while only 34 percent say their digital marketing strategy is integrated into their marketing strategy." Your brand's presence online should be fully representative of the brand you want to portray. Show off the best version of your company and watch your brand authority begin to grow. It's best to market with a clear message, digital or otherwise.

Is your marketing strategy aligned with your business goals?

Marketing trends and predictions all point to the importance of agile strategies capable of responding to audience behaviour in real-time, and UK businesses agree that… Read More

In a perfect world there would be an abundance of created content for your blog, but most of the time that just isn't possible. Creating large amounts of custom blog posts is expensive and time consuming, not to mention difficult to keep up with during the busiest times of the year. Content curation is a great way to consistently add quality content to your website, especially when it is supplemented with created content. Forbes says it is all about finding a balance. "For larger organizations or those that require many layers of approvals before content can be shared on behalf of the company, curation often makes the most sense. That said, you should always create some of your own content, even if it's only a blog post or two per month."

How To Use Content Curation The Right Way

Content curation is one of the most misinterpreted tactics in marketing. Most organizations curate content in some form or another, but very few do it… Read More

Trust and authority are key when trying to grow a brand. Pay attention to any reviews online because consumers will consider them before making a purchase. Another good thing to look into would be cause marketing. Econtent said, "Cause marketing, in a nutshell, is a corporate responsibility to support a social movement or purpose. A study conducted by Cone/Porter Novelli found that 77% of consumers feel stronger emotional connections with purpose-driven companies over traditional ones--making this an incredibly powerful psychological marketing tactic." Finally, create an online presence that comes off more as a person than a brand. If your business was a person, what would they be like? Funny? Serious? Think about it, and explore the possibilities!

Do kids know anything about SEO? Probably not, but they do search on Google and we can absolutely learn from their thought processes. Google told some children to use the search box and find out what dolphins eat. What they found was interesting - some kids chose to look for pictures of dolphins eating and discern for themselves what the dolphin eats based on photos rather than reading text. Moz noted that, "Some common misconceptions they found some kids thought that the search suggestions, so the drop-down as you start typing, were the answers, which is bit problematic." What is your search style? How do you problem solve when you're not finding the answers you want? What problems might your potential leads have when searching for your business?

What Do Dolphins Eat? Lessons from How Kids Search - Whiteboard Friday

Kids may search differently than adults, but there are some interesting insights from how they use Google that can help deepen our understanding of searchers… Read More

Multi Channel Merchant writers were right on the money when they said, “One of the best ways to build your brand is with the creation of excellent content. This will help ensure you build trust in your brand while educating and entertaining your customers about your business and exactly what you do.” Focus your content on the type of buyer you want to reach and make yourself stand out from the competition. What makes you different? Why should they choose you over a competitor? Capitalize on it with the content you create and promote.

6 Tips to Brand Your Business Using Content

Although branding plays a vital role in business, content plays a major part in improving the brand’s image especially in the online world. Those days… Read More

What is content marketing? It's all around you. That great article you read about your industry the other day? That's right, it was most likely content marketing. The Content Marketing Institute defines it as, "Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience - and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action." Content marketing relates to blogging, social media marketing, SEO, and so much more. When businesses are sharing content, they are creating leads, building their authority, and contributing to their SEO rankings.

What Is Content Marketing?

Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience… Read More

If you are looking to reach a larger audience, written content can help you accomplish that. We have all zoned out while watching a video and absorbed only some of the information, but reading required focus and results in a higher retention rate. Customer Think said, "Most goal-oriented buyers prefer text-based content because it is more suitable than video content for addressing complex topics and communicating detailed or technical information." So, whether you are B2B or B2C, if you want to reach customers or clients that are ready to take action, written content is the way to go!

Written Content Still Matters in B2B Marketing

Unless you’ve been completely off the grid for the past several years, you’re well aware that the popularity of video content has exploded. eMarketer recently… Read More

If you want to learn more about content optimization, this article from Content Standard is a great resource. They said, "Fresh content is always important. However, there is a way to also integrate updating past content, especially when you’ve developed a robust content library through ongoing content marketing." They are right - while it is absolutely important to stay fresh and current with the latest news and topics, there is no reason why content you have already created can't keep working for you! Creating a strategy and a timeline is a the best way to go.